


Soon

by ChokolatteJedi



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, Homework, Hospitals, Military, Pregnancy, Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-06-13
Updated: 2006-06-13
Packaged: 2017-11-08 00:44:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/437221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChokolatteJedi/pseuds/ChokolatteJedi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A scene in a hospital waiting room</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soon

**Author's Note:**

> My fourth creative writing class assignment: 500-600 words. I was at just over 700 and had to cut it so much. :( Oh well.

Gloria pulled off her winter coat and sat stiffly in the blue waiting room chair, her bones protesting every movement. She again thought of leaving Seattle; the weather in California would be kinder on her arthritic joints. She pulled her needles and half-finished baby blanket from her bag and began knitting.

Within minutes, Gloria felt the hair on her neck shiver. She turned to see a small blonde girl kneeling on the chairs behind her. The girl was using her arms to prop herself up on the chair backs.

“Hi!” The girl had bright green eyes and her dimples showed when she smiled.

“Um, hello dear.”

“I’m not a deer, I’m Anastasia, but Mommy calls me Andy.”

“Oh, hello Andy.” Gloria set aside her knitting.

“What’s your name?”

“Gloria Martinez.”

“Why’s your hair different colors?”

Gloria chuckled. “Well, my hair used to be brown, but some parts have turned grey.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m older now.”

“Ooooohh.” Andy nodded seriously. “Why are you here? Mommy is here cause she’s going to give me a little sister, but I can’t play with her yet.”

“I’m here to visit Lindsey, my daughter-in-law. She’s pregnant as well.” Gloria paused when a young blonde woman hurried into the waiting room.

 

“Andy? Where is that no good, durak, husband of mine?” The woman asked.

“Aunt Halina!” Andy jumped up and ran to the woman, hugging her tightly. “Uncle Mikhail went to get coffee. Is Mommy alright?”

“Of course Kroshka,” Halina ruffled her hair. “You have a beautiful baby sister now. Her name is Natalya.”

“Can I see her?”

“Not yet. You wait here and don’t get into trouble while I look for Mikhail.”

“Alright.” Andy walked back to her chairs as Halina hurried away. Gloria expected their conversation to be over, but Andy again perched behind her. “I have a sister!”

“Yes, I heard. Natalya is a beautiful name.”

“It means ‘born at Christmas.’”

“Really? How fitting. What does the word your Aunt said, Kroshka, mean?”

“It means ‘Crumb.’ It’s her name for me. It’s Russian.”

“It’s very pretty. In Spanish, we call our daughters ‘Mija.’”

“Mi-ha.” Andy repeated. “Do you have a daughter?”

“No, I have a son.”

“Where is your son?”

“He’s in the navy, very far away right now.” Gloria’s fingers ran over the bracelet Alejandro had given her for Mother’s Day.

“My Daddy is far away too. He’s in the Miden-Midded-Middle East.”

“That’s where my son is.”

“Is he on a big boat?”

“Yes, actually. An aircraft carrier.”

“My Daddy is on the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk.”

“So is my son. My husband was on it once too.”

“Really?”

“Yes, twenty years ago. Alejandro always wanted to be assigned to his father’s ship.” They had both been so proud when Alejandro received his orders for this cruise.

“My Daddy is the only one in the Navy. Nana and Grandpa are still in Russia. But Uncle Mikhail is a fire fighter.”

“He is?”

“Yes. He lives in New York. Mommy said New York is very far away from Seattle. But not as far away as Iraq.”

“Yes, New York is quite far away.” Gloria sighed. “So is Iraq.”

“When will they get home?” Andy wasn’t smiling, and Gloria could see the innocent worry in her eyes.

“Soon, I hope.”

Andy thought for a moment. “I hope soon too.”

A tall man with a clear resemblance to Andy walked in the back door, snow clinging to his coat. Gloria nudged Andy’s arm. “I think your Uncle is here.”

“Uncle Mikhail?”

“Andy!” He called. “Come on, you can see your Mama now.”

Andy squealed and ran to grab her jacket. “Bye Mrs. Martinez!”

Gloria could hear Andy’s excited chatter echoing down the hallway, and turned back to her knitting with a sigh.

One word whispered though the lonely room, “Soon.”


End file.
